Batemans Bay rescue crews trekked through the bush for 30 minutes to help a teenage girl badly hurt after a fall in the Murramarang National Park.
The 14-year-old has been released from Canberra Hospital after falling down an embankment in the park, north of Batemans Bay, on October 12.
The Southern Highlands student was on a school hike when she tripped, hit her head on a rock and fell, a Fire and Rescue NSW spokesperson said.
The teenager sustained several injuries, including a dislocated knee and shoulder, and concussion.
Emergency crews from NSW Ambulance, Fire and Rescue NSW and National Parks and Wildlife Services were sent to assist the girl, before the Snowy Hydro SouthCare rescue helicopter airlifted her to hospital.
Ambulance and Fire and Rescue crews from Batemans Bay said they were alerted at 11:30am and attended the scene via Pebbly Beach Road.
“We drove to the area and then hiked in over a few kilometers for about 30 minutes; carrying all of our patient gear and some water,” Batemans Bay Fire and Rescue NSW station commander Craig Mashman said.
“She had a big backpack on, tripped and hit her head on the one big rock on the pathway.
“She was just unlucky, I think.”
Mr Mashman said a National Parks and Wildlife Service team drove to the scene via Depot Beach and met them at about 12.15pm.
The Snowy Hydro SouthCare rescue helicopter landed on a rock platform between Depot and Pebbly beaches.
“The female patient sustained trauma injuries and was transported to Canberra Hospital, arriving there at 1.08pm,” a Snowy Hydro SouthCare spokeswoman said.
It was the second fall in the area within 12 months, with rescue services again forced to navigate the difficult area.
“We have been there a number of times and it’s hard for us operationally because you get mixed information about the location,” Mr Mashman said.
“We (Fire and Rescue) are brought onto the scene to assist medical (teams). We are there for the manpower. If you have to carry the person out, you need a minimum of four people.
“You can always turn services away if they aren’t required, but if you turn up in an area like that and you’re under resourced you can’t go ‘oh, whoops!’.
“When you get a call, you never know what is in front of you. It’s always better to have all the resources you need there.”
